Figuring out love
by Whatever child
Summary: After a death in the family Tristan returns home
1. Homeward bound

"Damn Dugrey your gotta start sleeping at night instead of during class." It was John. Ever since I left Hartford none of my old friends had even called. It was crazy of me to think that she would ever even think of me. Well at least I got the guys here. They all knew what it was like to be stuck here away from the people they loved. But at least they had a family that cared for them. All I have is her. Rory Gilmore. That flawless skin, perfect smile. ".you gotta stop thinking about her man, it doesn't do ya any good, only makes it worse." John again. I sighed, " Yeah I know man but I can't help it. It gets worse everyday." "Tristan!" Mr. Jenky was calling me. "I hate to interrupt whatever you two are talking about that I know is just so much more important than this class, but the Sergeant needs to see you." John leans over, "do ya think he found out about the tractor?" he asks worriedly. "Naw man he couldn't have, we hid it in the swamp, no one ever goes back there, they probably don't even know there is a swamp." I got up and walked to the office. I made so many visits there if you hadn't known any better you might have thought that Sarge and I were best friends. As I entered the office I heard a familiar voice. "Dad?" "Tristan, so you're here." "Where else would I be." I said more as a sarcastic statement than as a question. "Just sit down and don't embarrass me any more than you already have." That had pretty much been my dad's attitude towards me my whole life. "Well Tristan," Sarge started," your father has come here to pull you out." "What?!" I practically yelled. "You heard the man, you're coming home with me." "But why?" I had to ask. He sighed as if this was a very painful task. "Your great-aunt Gertrude on your mothers side died a few days ago and your mother wants you there. I personally would prefer you stayed here but your mother insists. She thinks since you've been in here for about a year you deserve a second chance and that you should be able to come home and do your senior year at Chilton." Now it was Sarge's turn "All of your papers are signed you can leave as soon as you are packed. You are free, and I am thankfully free of you." That last part was barely audible. Tristan didn't think his dad had heard.  
Tristan almost ran back to his dorm, shoved all his tings in his duffle bag, wrote John a quick note explaining everything and saying he would call. He did feel a little guilty about leaving without saying goodbye to everyone. But what did he care, he was going home. He was out of this hellhole. In just a matter of hours he was going to see her. He was going to see Rory Gilmore, the love of his life and the subject of every one of his dreams for the past year. "I'm coming Rory, please want me. Please forgive me." He muttered to himself before running out of the door. 


	2. Old enemies, new friends, or more

A/N: Ok, please note this is my first fanfic so I would appreciate any suggestions and constructive criticism, just don't be harsh. I won't report of hold flames against anyone, nut I would have to prefer if I didn't get any. I'm going to try and update every week or so. If I don't please don't get mad. My e-mail is smilie101@voila.fr if you ever need to write me on a suggestion or a reminder to write. Thanks a lot, Claire.  
  
On with the story:  
  
Rory woke at 6:15am as usual on her first day of school. But this first day was different. Today was the first day of her senior year. Today was the first day of the rest of her life. She knew any second Lorelei would burst through her bedroom door to wake her up. She assumed that since today was special Lorelei would do something special. She was right. Five minutes later Lorelei flung the door open, pulled the curtains aside and screamed "COFFEE!!!" Although Rory had been expecting her mom she has not been prepared for such a bombardment of light and sound, although the whole coffee thing sounded good. "MOM! I need sleep!" Rory glared at her mother. "No time for sleep! Up up up! Coffee coffee coffee! Today is the day where we get to guilt trip Luke into giving us free coffee because it's your first day of school!!! This day only comes once a year and this might well be the last time it will happen!" was Lorelei's lengthened reply. Rory groaned then got out of bed. She managed a quick "meet me downstairs in 20 minutes" to her mom before disappearing into the bathroom.  
Twenty minutes later she appeared in her Chilton uniform. At first she had thought the mandatory outfit somewhat restrictive but now she was accustomed to it. She had even learned to like it a little. She had developed a system of letting her shirt lay a little baggier and the first three buttons undone. Her skirt was no longer below the knee but at a comfortable few inches above the knee instead. It was over the summer that Jess had made her realize how she actually could look good. He had made her realize how beautiful she really was. They had parted as a mutual decision. She still loved him as a brother. Besides, she knew that Jess would take a bullet for her and vise versa.  
Her mom came running down the stairs late as usual. She was wearing a gray dress suit that she wore to the inn when there was someone special coming to stay there. "What's the occasion?" Rory asked. "What?" "The suit." "Oh right well I was going to wear my cowgirl out fit, but its at the dry cleaners, then I thought I might wear that pink muumuu we stole of that one big guy-" "YOU stole you mean." Rory interrupted. "Yeah, yeah anyway then I was like Michel would laugh at me so then I was going to-" "Ok sorry I asked, look we really need to get going." Rory could see that her mom's story was going nowhere and as long as she was telling it neither would they. The idea of free coffee had really started to grow on her. The pair grabbed their coats and left.  
Fifteen minutes later after having dropped off Lorelei at the inn she was on her way to Chilton with coffee in hand. They had had to pester Luke non-stop to get their drinks and doughnuts fast enough. With the time they saved by bothering Luke she was again on track. She didn't even need to speed.  
She was putting her books in her locker when she heard Paris, whose locker had been moved next to hers, talk to her. Last year Paris and Rory had managed to be civil to each other and somehow that turned to friendship, a friendship dearest to Rory only after that of Lane. "- Mr. Ligoski. I can't believe they put me in his AP Literature class. My father specifically requested that I have Ms. Herman. Not this ass hole that can't tell Hemingway from Shakespeare." Rory tuned in and managed to get a word in edge wise. " Look I have Lit. the same hour as you. We'll help each other out. Hey maybe we can make a file of all the incompetent thing that he says." Paris sighed." Thanks Ror you always know what to say. Maybe this won't be that bad. Now I have to go talk to the Headmaster about my Calculus class because there is incompetent for you." Paris turned and walked off. Rory turned chuckling towards her locker.  
Suddenly a pair of hands clasped firmly about her eyes. "Miss me Mary?" a familiar voice said behind her head. Rory managed to turn. "Tristan" she whispered. "The one and only." Roy could hardly speak. "But you're in. I mean I thought you were .her weren't. on my god Tristan." He only smiled at her. "How did you manage to keep this coming back thing a secret? You'd think that Summer or someone would know. And speaking of back why are you here?" The questions just kept coming. Tristan placed a finger over her lips. "A great aunt of mine died last week so my mom let me come back. I purposely kept it a secret so I could surprise some people." "Like who?" she asked. "Well." he said shyly " like you." Rory had never seen Tristan like this. "Like, like me?" "God Rory the whole time I was down there all I could think of was how horribly I had treated you." He chuckled, "I must have written you a hundred letters that I never sent." Rory was stunned. " I wish you had written. I missed you so much." She was stunned. She hadn't meant to say that out loud. She hadn't even wanted to admit it to herself. Tristan seemed as stunned as her. "I'm so glad to hear that Rory. You have no idea how glad." Slowly he leaned in and gently kissed her on the corner of her mouth. He started to walk away. Suddenly he turned "will I see you at lunch?" "Yeah.yeah you will." Rory said shyly. She couldn't even remember the lad time she was this happy. The thought that she hadn't even liked Tristan when he had first left didn't even cross her mind. "I love you," she whispered to herself when she was sure he was out of earshot. As Tristan turned the corner to the next hallway he sighed, "I love you Rory Gilmore." Just then he bumped into summer. "Oh-my-God! Tristan DuGrey! Aaaahhhh!" She turned and ran off. He new that by the end of first period at least the whole senior class, if not the half the school, would know of his return. He sighed, looked at his schedule and found his way across campus to his first class. 


	3. Lunch at last!

Author's note: Okay, don't kill me. I know that it has been seriously over a year since I last updated the story. I feel horrible. You really don't know. It just became one of those things; I missed a week, then a month, then a year. Sucks, huh? Well I'm back and here is brand new chapter about Rory and Tristan in their senior year. Happy readings and please review!

* * *

Tristan sighed, the first three periods of the day were over and

not one of them had been with Rory, but each one had two

different exes of his in them. He could see that the mornings

were going to be long. Not only that, but his schedule was

killer! He had pre-calculus right away first hour, followed my

American Literature, followed by US History. Could it be any

more boring? The one thing he had to look forward to was

lunch, but even that was worrying. Because of the growing

population at Chilton, a new lunch system had been

implemented. There were now two lunches, A and B. A lunch

started at 11:30 and B lunch started at 12:45. Tristan worried

about this because it meant that Rory might not have the same

lunch as him. If she did she had promised to sit with him, but

that was before he knew about this new screwed up system.

Tristan wanted to scream.

As he walked into the lunchroom his heart sank, no Rory. He

scanned the room again just in case, but no luck. He sucked in

some breath, gave a big sigh and quietly, so as no to draw too

much attention to his newly returned self, took a seat at a small

table in the corner of the cafeteria. Well, he thought, there may

not be a Rory, but at least there isn't a Summer too. Slowly he

took his first bite of pizza. Then, just as he was about to take

his second bite of food he felt a light hand on his shoulder.

RORY! His heart skipped. He turned around. It was her! He

leapt out of his seat ran around to the other side of the table

across from him and pulled out a chair for her. She smiled shyly

and thanked him. "No problem" he said, "what's military school

for." She gave a little giggle.

What am I doing? Rory thought to herself, why am I sitting here

across from Tristan Dugrey and giggling at his jokes? I don't

giggle! I'm Rory Gilmore! She smiled sheepishly at him.

She was just about to open her mouth to ask him how his

morning had been so far when Paris came walking briskly over,

pulled out a seat next to Rory and sat down. She immediately

began to rattle off her usual start of the year complaints. "My

God, it's the first day of school and they are already out of all

the good pizza, all they had was cheese! Who eats cheese pizza,

honestly, I mean how boring, I don't know about you but I need

a little flavor here! I'm going to call my father, he'll put an end

to this madness. And did you see who we have for Claculus?

Mr. Weyer! I hate him. He always thinks he knows everything. I

bet I could teach him a few things about derivatives."

"Oh hello Tristan, how are you, haven't seen you in year."

Tristan stated sarcastically, "Oh thank you Paris, I'm fine had a

golly good time in military school, thank you for noticing I

came back." Rory tried to stifle a laugh.

Paris shot him an evil glare "I noticed you were here, Dugrey,

but I didn't think it worth mentioning." she said haughtily.

"Nice to see you too." He replied. Only Rory saw him roll his

eyes.

Paris continued, "As I was saying before I was so rudely

interrupted, Mr. Weyer-oh! Wait there he is! I've a got a few

words for him!" She quickly got up dumped her tray in the

garbage and ran out of the room after her unfortunate victim.

The two remaining students looked at each other and burst into

laughter.

"So how was military school?" Rory asked.

"Oh, not so bad really." Tristan said, "but were they sorry they

took me! In the first month I was there I stole all the toilet seats

on the first floor, polished all of Sarge's black shoes with red

polish, and got all the boys on my dorm level to leave love

notes on his car every day for two weeks."

"No way!" Rory was actually quite impressed.

"No joke! I'm completely serious."

"Jeez," Rory said, shaking her head, "and that was only in the

first month?"

"Uh-huh."

"Wow. I feel sorry for that poor guy."

"Don't he was a real hard ass, deserved every thing he got."

Rory chuckled again and asked about his friends and what life

was like there. They talked until the bell rang.

"Whoa! That's the bell? Lunch went by so fast!" Rory said.

"Yeah," Tristan answered, "time flies when you're havin fun!

And it doesn't hurt if the one you're having fun with is

especially pretty." Rory blushed a deep red. "Come on," he

continued "I'll walk ya to your next class, where are you

going?"

"Umm…" Rory was still feeling the effects of being called

pretty especially pretty by Tristan Dugrey, "Physics."

"Hey, that's where I'm going!" Tristan said with delight. "Let me

see your schedule. She handed it over. "Look!" He said, "We all

four afternoon classes together!" He was ecstatic! Awesome!

"Great," Rory said "but we'd better hurry before we're late!"

"You're right" Tristan gasped and grabbed Rory's hand and they

ran down the hall towards their next class and the beginning of

what looked to be a great year ahead.


End file.
